The 10 Best Gifts for Pickleball Players

The Paddletek Bantam EX-L paddles—our pick for the best pickleball paddles after testing eight options—is great for precision players and bangers alike. The set isn’t too heavy, and the 5-inch handle has a cushy grip, which makes it easier to maneuver for advanced shots. Yet it doesn’t sacrifice power. It provides good velocity on serves and forehand shots at the baseline, as well as plenty of force for short, overhead smashes closer to the net. Plus, tennis players will find that it swings like a tennis racket, so transitioning to the sport is all the more smooth.

Yes, a backpack with a paddle handle sticking out works just fine. But for something cuter and more functional, we like the retro, neoprene Queen of the Court Pickleball Bag, available in eight styles, including a perforated white body with green-and-navy-striped handles. The bag can hold two paddles in the outer pouch with plenty of interior room for balls and sneakers, plus a zip pouch for keys and a phone. It also has a handy fence hook to keep it off the ground and in sight during games.

Wiffle-like plastic pickleballs can crack pretty quickly. The pickler in your life could likely use a bulk haul to keep their games going all year. We like the balls from Franklin Sports, which are the same hard, bouncy balls used at the US Open Pickleball Championships. Reviewers raved that the balls resist cracking and egging; this mondo lidded bucket of 36 is portable, generous, and great for tournaments. If your gift recipient is just getting started, a 12-pack will keep them covered for weekend games between four friends for about two months, according to staff fitness writer and resident pickleball enthusiast Seth Berkman. Note that indoor players may find the balls too quick.

While pickleball’s popularity continues to skyrocket, the hardest part about learning the game just might be nabbing time on a court. With the Venux Portable Pickleball Set, newbies can sidestep that issue and start playing straight out of the box. The starter pack includes a regulation net, along with four wooden paddles, 10 balls, and a long bag to carry it all in. It’s a cinch to set up a game in a driveway or transport it to another hard surface (the ball doesn’t bounce on grass).

Obsessives can show off their love of the sport on or off the court with the Erne Pickleball Socks. (The company is named for a difficult pickleball shot done while either jumping into or running out of bounds.) The quarter-length white socks, made with a cotton-polyester blend in the US, are emblazoned with the sport’s name just below the cuff.

As much as pickleball is known for being easy to learn, it has also gained a reputation for its fun, flirty fashion—a contrast, perhaps, to tennis’s stiff upper lip and catsuit scandals. (The only official USA Pickleball rule for attire is that players may not wear the same citron color as the ball.) If your pickleball player likes to bring flair to the court, gift them the Recess Paddle Set, which is approved by USA Pickleball and available in 26 designs. Style aside, the fiberglass veneer over the honeycomb polypropylene core paddles are ideal for all manner of dinks, aces, and smashes.

A game is no fun when squabbles break out about the score—one of the few dark sides of the sport. Fitting over the net, the lightweight, portable OnCourt OffCourt PickleScore easily keeps track of points with flippable numbers. At 16 by 8.5 inches, it can slip into a gym bag or larger backpack. The price tag is a tad high, but a scorekeeper is cheaper than therapy for keeping relationships intact and for ensuring that your pickleball partners come back.

Once players get a feel for the game, they can also adjust the feel of their paddle with Pckl Paddle Weights. The 3-gram adhesive strips with a 3M backing can be added to the edges, corners, sides, and handle of a paddle to tweak its balance, stability, and power.

It’s more challenging (and annoying) to get a smooth stroke or forceful swing if sweat is making the paddle handle slippery. The precut Alien Pros Tennis Racket Grip Tape works just as well for pickleball paddles as tennis rackets. Wrapped around the handle, the anti-slip tape absorbs moisture, making for a more firm and comfortable grip.

Classic baseball caps often have an ill-placed or too-small back hole for athletic types who need to tie up long tresses. The Lululemon Women’s Fast and Free Ponytail Running Hat has an extra-wide and high back opening to better accommodate long hairstyles while also keeping the sun at bay. Constructed with sweat-wicking and quick-drying fabric along with an interior mesh sweatband, it also makes for a breezier workout. Some reviewers found the cap wasn’t adjustable enough for smaller heads; our tester with a self-described medium-small head had no issues.

We love finding gifts that are unusual, thoughtful, and well vetted. See even more gift ideas we recommend.

Samantha Schoech contributed reporting. This article was edited by Hannah Morrill and Jennifer Hunter.